Wednesday, January 17
DeKalb, IL
7:00 (EST)
at
Northern Illinois
Photo by: Paul Hokanson/UBBulls.com
Bulls Travel to Northern Illinois on Wednesday
1/16/2024 2:12:00 PM | Women's Basketball
BUFFALO, NY – The University at Buffalo women's basketball team heads back on the road as they travel to DeKalb for a contest against the Northern Illinois Huskies on Wednesday at 7pm (EST).
The game will be streamed on ESPN+ with Andy Garcia (play-by-play) and Kacy Standohar (color) announcing and can be heard on the radio on 1520 AM or on the Varsity Network with Jack Kreuzer on the call.
This is the 31st overall meeting between Buffalo and Northern Illinois with the Huskies owning a 20-10 series advantage. The Huskies defeated the Bulls at Alumni Arena last season.
Buffalo earned a hard-fought 59-57 win over Akron at Alumni Arena on Saturday afternoon. The Bulls were once again led offensively by redshirt senior guard Chellia Watson who scored a game-high 28 points to go with seven rebounds and six assists. Sophomore Hattie Ogden recorded nine points and six rebounds while freshman Alexis Davis added nine points and freshman Kirsten Lewis-Williams pulled down a team-high nine rebounds.
Watson leads MAC and ranks sixth in the nation in scoring at 23.1 points per game to go with 4.4 rebounds and 3.2 assists per contest, while also shooting 43.1% from three-point range. Lewis-Williams currently ranks 10th in the MAC in scoring (12.4 ppg) and ninth in rebounding (6.4 rpg), which is first among all rookies in the league in both categories. Senior Rana Elhusseini (9.5 ppg, 3.1 apg) and Ogden (9.1 ppg, 5.5 rpg) continue to be impact players for UB while Davis is second on the team in rebounding (6.2 rpg).
As a team, Buffalo is ranked in the top three in the MAC in scoring defense (63.6), field goal percentage (.427), field goal defense (.374) and three-point field goal percentage (.340). The Bulls are averaging 32.3 points per game in the paint while also scoring 10 ppg in transition, and are turning defense into offense, averaging 15 points per contest off opponent's turnovers.
The Northern Illinois Huskies are 8-7 overall and 2-2 in league action after falling to Kent State 73-48 on Sunday. The Huskies are led offensively by Jayden Marable who is averaging 12.7 points, 4.7 rebounds and 4.4 assists per game. Brooke Stonebraker (10.8 ppg, 8.1 rpg) is also scoring in double figures while Sidney McCrea (9.0 ppg, 2.3 rpg) has also been a main contributor. Marable is fifth in the MAC in both assists (66) and assist/turnover ratio (+1.5). She has had at least five assists in seven of 14 games this season.
NIU is second in the MAC in three-point attempts (24.7) and three-pointers made (7.8) per game. The Huskies are third in the league in assists with 14.3 per game. NIU is 6-2 this season when dishing out at least 15 assists. They have recorded 20+ assists three times. NIU is third in the MAC in rebounding (39.2) and defensive rebounding (27.6). The Huskies have also had double-digit offensive rebounds in each of the last seven games.
Up next, Buffalo heads back out on the road as they travel to DeKalb to take on the Northern Illinois Huskies on Wednesday, January 17 at 7pm (EST).
The game will be streamed on ESPN+ with Andy Garcia (play-by-play) and Kacy Standohar (color) announcing and can be heard on the radio on 1520 AM or on the Varsity Network with Jack Kreuzer on the call.
This is the 31st overall meeting between Buffalo and Northern Illinois with the Huskies owning a 20-10 series advantage. The Huskies defeated the Bulls at Alumni Arena last season.
Buffalo earned a hard-fought 59-57 win over Akron at Alumni Arena on Saturday afternoon. The Bulls were once again led offensively by redshirt senior guard Chellia Watson who scored a game-high 28 points to go with seven rebounds and six assists. Sophomore Hattie Ogden recorded nine points and six rebounds while freshman Alexis Davis added nine points and freshman Kirsten Lewis-Williams pulled down a team-high nine rebounds.
Watson leads MAC and ranks sixth in the nation in scoring at 23.1 points per game to go with 4.4 rebounds and 3.2 assists per contest, while also shooting 43.1% from three-point range. Lewis-Williams currently ranks 10th in the MAC in scoring (12.4 ppg) and ninth in rebounding (6.4 rpg), which is first among all rookies in the league in both categories. Senior Rana Elhusseini (9.5 ppg, 3.1 apg) and Ogden (9.1 ppg, 5.5 rpg) continue to be impact players for UB while Davis is second on the team in rebounding (6.2 rpg).
As a team, Buffalo is ranked in the top three in the MAC in scoring defense (63.6), field goal percentage (.427), field goal defense (.374) and three-point field goal percentage (.340). The Bulls are averaging 32.3 points per game in the paint while also scoring 10 ppg in transition, and are turning defense into offense, averaging 15 points per contest off opponent's turnovers.
The Northern Illinois Huskies are 8-7 overall and 2-2 in league action after falling to Kent State 73-48 on Sunday. The Huskies are led offensively by Jayden Marable who is averaging 12.7 points, 4.7 rebounds and 4.4 assists per game. Brooke Stonebraker (10.8 ppg, 8.1 rpg) is also scoring in double figures while Sidney McCrea (9.0 ppg, 2.3 rpg) has also been a main contributor. Marable is fifth in the MAC in both assists (66) and assist/turnover ratio (+1.5). She has had at least five assists in seven of 14 games this season.
NIU is second in the MAC in three-point attempts (24.7) and three-pointers made (7.8) per game. The Huskies are third in the league in assists with 14.3 per game. NIU is 6-2 this season when dishing out at least 15 assists. They have recorded 20+ assists three times. NIU is third in the MAC in rebounding (39.2) and defensive rebounding (27.6). The Huskies have also had double-digit offensive rebounds in each of the last seven games.
Up next, Buffalo heads back out on the road as they travel to DeKalb to take on the Northern Illinois Huskies on Wednesday, January 17 at 7pm (EST).
Players Mentioned
G/F
/ Women's Basketball
G
/ Women's Basketball
G
/ Women's Basketball
G/F
/ Women's Basketball
Guard
/ Women's Basketball1-on-1 with new head women's basketball coach Kristen Sharkey | A Sisterhood
Thursday, May 29
1-on-1 with new head women's basketball coach Kristen Sharkey | What Lead Me to Coaching
Thursday, May 29
1-on-1 with new head women's basketball coach Kristen Sharkey | Excited and Joyful
Thursday, May 29
1-on-1 with new head women's basketball coach Kristen Sharkey | Playstyle
Thursday, May 29
